Huh.

The American Church has a big problem. It's the Da Vinci code. I know this because as I drive anywhere in the city, I find huge banners in front of Churchoplexes everywhere advertising their upcoming series exposing the truth about the movie.

On every street corner, you see "Da Vinci - Fact or Fiction?" or "Read the Book - Skip the Movie" or "40 Days of Da Vinci". The churches are betting on this thing becoming a blockbuster, and then leveraging their angst about the movie into a compelling series.

There's just one problem. Apparently, the movie stinks. Consider the following news article.

For 'Da Vinci,' the thrill is gone:
"'The Da Vinci Code,' the film version of Dan Brown's enormous best-seller, should have been the thinking person's thrill ride..... But 'The Da Vinci Code' isn't thrilling."

Understand, I'm no fan of the book or movie, and from what I read it contains some pretty antiChristian elements. Likewise, I think the church has a voice into cultural things and should speak up more rather than less. I just find it interesting that the Christian subculture is so poised to enter the arena with what may turn out to be a paper tiger.

What if millions have pastors have bet the next four Sunday mornings on compelling reactions to a film that, in the end, is no more important than Ishtar?

Whoops.